Apple and Google on Contact-Tracing of COVID-19

To fight against the global pandemic, all the countries are reaching out to each other to work it out together. What is more fascinating here is that apple and google two most advanced and leading tech companies in the world are working together to fight against this pandemic. Earlier this month apple and google announced that they are working together on a project to stop the dangerous novel coronavirus from spreading. This would be a contact tracing technology with the help of Bluetooth signals. This signals would track the participants and the people with whom they have been in contact with. The news has made speculation among the people. So for all our readers, we are presenting you with information that can help you understand and clear your thoughts about the news. So let’s get started about apple and google on contact tracing of COVID-19.

How does it work?

The system work by producing shortcodes over Bluetooth. Technically its a low energy Bluetooth beacon system. Your phone creates a log of all the codes you have received and identifies those potentially infected people. These codes are constantly modified so that one cannot hack inside the log and misuse someone’s information through their codes. The technicalities here can be a little complex to understand but apple and google are aiming to make this API available to the public health agency by mid of the next month which is May. Post May they are planning to ship this as an update to IOS and android.

In simple words, apple and google are working on a system called contact tracing. Contact tracing aims to gather all the information of the one who has been tested positive. This information can be where they went, to whom did they talk to, or any other close physical contact that can easily transmit the virus.

How far is it reachable to trace the person?

Bluetooth LE ( Low Energy ) is pretty flexible. So, for now, they are planning to alter the effectiveness of the reach. As the project aims to benefit the health care system of the world, the engineers are working to get the signals through walls and other barriers as well.

What are the steps to install this update/system on my phone?

For now, we believe around mid-may, google and apple would release this API to the health care system of the U.S. After the official release, a public health app is expected to be released on IOS that can make the distribution easier. It is expected that this system might be useful to all public health organizations. The main concern here is whether the U.S would adopt this technology. This hasn’t happened earlier when Singapore came up with Singapore’s TraceTogether.

And, even though apple and google build technology as such, they still need contact tracers building apps, setting recommendations, and making the whole system as familiar as possible to the people. Tech companies lack in those areas. But federal agencies such as the CDC and FEMA don’t seem hugely interested in doing it either. so far, there’s no sign that the US government is ready to prepare for something like this either. For nor all we can do is wait until the API is released and see how the U.S government responds. It is going to be a worldwide sensation to see if the world adopts the new system or ignore it.

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